The Oscars are the most prestigious awards in the movie industry, but they’re not perfect. (Though, if they listened to some of our Reelay reviewers, they might be.) Every year, there are films and actors that are overlooked and left without a nomination. These omissions, or snubs, are always a topic of discussion among movie critics and fans. In this blog post, we’ll take a look at some of the biggest Oscar snubs in history and how they were received by movie critics and audiences alike.
One of the most famous Oscar snubs happened in 1977 when Martin Scorsese’s “Taxi Driver” was completely shut out of the Best Picture category. Despite rave reviews from movie critics and a powerful performance by Robert De Niro, the Academy did not recognize the film. Many critics and fans were outraged, and some even accused the Academy of being out of touch with modern cinema.
In 1990, another of Scorsese’s films, “Goodfellas” was released to critical acclaim. The film was praised for its direction, screenplay, and performances, especially that of Joe Pesci, who won the Best Supporting Actor award at the Oscars that year. However, the film was overlooked for the Best Picture award, which went to Kevin Costner’s “Dances With Wolves.” This decision was met with backlash from both critics and audiences, who felt that “Goodfellas” was a more deserving winner.
Another notable snub happened in 1994, when “The Shawshank Redemption” failed to win a single Oscar, despite being widely considered one of the best films of the year. The film received positive reviews from movie critics and has since become a classic, but it was overshadowed by “Forrest Gump,” which won six Oscars that year.
Similarly, in 1999, Steven Spielberg’s “Saving Private Ryan” was released to universal acclaim. The film, which tells the story of a group of soldiers sent on a mission to save a fellow soldier during World War II, was praised for its realistic portrayal of war and its emotional impact. However, at the 1999 Oscars, the film was once again snubbed for the Best Picture award, which went to “Shakespeare in Love.” This decision was met with shock and disappointment from both critics and audiences, who felt that “Saving Private Ryan” was a much more deserving winner.
In 2015, “Selma,” the biographical drama about Martin Luther King Jr.’s campaign for voting rights, was snubbed in several major categories, including Best Director and Best Actor. The film was praised by movie critics for its powerful performances and direction, but it was criticized by some for historical inaccuracies.
In 2018, “The Florida Project,” a drama about a young girl growing up in poverty, was completely overlooked by the Academy, despite receiving positive reviews from movie critics and earning several awards at other festivals. Many critics praised the film for its raw and honest portrayal of childhood, but it failed to gain traction with the Academy.
These are just a few examples of the biggest Oscar snubs in history. While the Academy’s decisions are not always agreed upon by movie critics and audiences, they do serve as a reminder that art is subjective and that there will always be differing opinions on what deserves recognition.